Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., “One Door Closes,” was written by the team of Lauren LeFranc and Rafe Judkins and was directed by David Solomon, whose many credits include Dollhouse, Buffy, and Firefly. The episode features flashbacks to the day S.H.I.E.L.D. fell and gives us some insight into how the splinter S.H.I.E.L.D. came to be and reveals what’s motivating Bobbi (Adrianne Palicki) and Mack (Henry Simmons). It looks like the team may be losing Skye (Chloe Bennet).
One of the great things about the show is how it opens up the Marvel universe. In this episode, the flashbacks show us another glimpse into what was happening to the “regular” soldiers during the climax of
Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I loved the feel of the flashbacks in contrast to the present storyline. It’s clear we’re in the past as the color is mostly washed out to give everything a slightly grey, grainy feel.
Just as we know our team went through a traumatic series of events, we see Gonzales (Edward James Olmos), Bobbi, Mack, and Hartley (Lucy Lawless) fighting for their lives and ultimately their ship. The first scene we see is HYDRA taking over the engine room. The HYDRA agent once again bemoans the bad press of people still harping on their relationship to the Nazis. The HYDRA agent wants to know who the Chief engineer is, but Mack stays silent. Instead, Tim (Mackenzie Astin), who is Mack’s wounded friend, says he is. It’s a nice Spartacus moment that results in Tim’s death, which clearly affects Mack deeply.
I loved all the fight scenes in this episode – it’s just literally action packed. I loved Bobbi using her phone as a distraction and then her slow-motion bad-ass entry to save Mack and in turn be saved by Hartley’s knife. There are a couple of great moments between Palicki and Lawless. Bobbi tells Hartley, “I just love your whole thing” which is a fitting tribute to the woman who brought Xena to life and helped to forever change the way we saw women in these roles. I also loved how Bobbi commented on how heavy Hartley’s knife was – it’s a sort of passing the mantle of female action-hero.
It’s interesting to see how each of them deals with Fury’s final orders. Bobbi is prepared to go down with the ship because that’s what Fury ordered. Mack doesn’t want Bobbi to sacrifice herself and both he and Gonzales insist on helping her finish her mission rather than simply leaving. Hartley not only clears the way to get Gonzales off the ship, she takes back the top deck. Mack it the first one to suggest they take back the ship, but at first the others don’t believe they can. It’s Bobbi who really disagrees with Gonzales who is prepared to follow Fury’s orders to the end. Mack wants to know since when Bobbi didn’t fight for what she believed in – saving the other men and women who are about to go down with the ship. Bobbi suggest maybe it should be a democracy – the world isn’t the same as it was yesterday and they need to do something to stop this. Clearly, they do take back the ship, and whatever was so important on the ship is still there.
We also learn what happened to Agent Weaver (Christine Adams) at the Academy, though we don’t see it. Agent Calderon (Kirk Acevedo) and his men were the ones to save her and others from the Academy. He tells Bobbi later in the episode that HYDRA had unleashed Inhumans against them and that he’d found Agent Weaver going toe-to-toe with one of them, presumably arriving just in time to save her life. This certainly helps to explain his attitude toward Skye and why he foolishly brings a gun to a fight with an Inhuman.
The present storyline finds Coulson (Clark Gregg) on to Mack, but surprised by Bobbi, which is his – and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s downfall. When Bobbi apologizes for Hunter (Nick Blood) Coulson tells her it’s on him and not her fault – and that he has other feelers out for Hunter. He tells Mack that he easily found the extra component he’d hidden in toy Lola, and wants to know who Mack is working for. I loved that Coulson said, “You’ve always been brutally honest with me, and I value that.” Coulson is a good leader because he does listen to all the evidence and weigh it before making any decision. He quickly realizes his mistake with Bobbi and sets May (Ming-Na Wen) on her. We get a terrific – if much too short – fight between May and Bobbi.
Meanwhile, Skye is video-chatting with Jemma (Elizabeth Henstridge). It’s interesting how they are all using first names now – Jemma calls Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) Leo, for instance. Jemma clearly wants to know if Skye has put the gloves on yet. Fitz is still angry about Jemma treating Skye like a science project, but she insists she’s just trying to help her. Skye does try them on and then tries to call Jemma because they make her feel woozy. When she then takes them off to run her arms under cool water, Skye discovers that she can bend the water into a corkscrew. It’s a terrific effect. Skye actually seems to be able to control the water and smiles to herself – and who wouldn’t? It’s totally cool! Did the gloves help?
Jemma doesn’t answer Skye’s call because the attack has begun on the bunker. I adored that Jemma got the drop on Bobbi! I loved that she’s dithering, digging around in a box for something or other and Bobbi clearly doesn’t suspect her for a minute and simply takes the two things she hands her – which then knock her out. Our Jemma has come a long way as a secret agent with her lying skills.
May finds the gas mask too late in Bobbi’s locker. The rest of the team end up gassed. Fitz almost gets blown up as the splinter S.H.I.E.L.D. blows their way in but Mack throws himself over him to protect him. There is a fabulous scene after they’re captured with Fitz and Simmons sitting on the floor side by side. She reaches over to take his hand, and he places his on top of hers. Weaver comes to them to ask for Simmons help in treating Mack. She looks at Fitz and he simply nods, so she agrees to go with her. This underscores that Fitz isn’t devastated by Mack’s betrayal because unlike Ward, Mack tried to protect Fitz.
Gonzales has Coulson brought to him and this is just a fabulous scene between these two actors. The opening dialogue proves that Coulson is the rightful head of SHIELD as Gonzales introduces himself and starts with “you may not know who…” and Coulson interrupts him to say he does – and proves it. He also tells him that he spent months looking for him because he heard he was a good man and wanted him on his team. Gonzales says that he doesn’t feel that Coulson is even as good a man as he was two years ago, and Coulson says, “You didn’t know me then, and you don’t know me now.”
Gonzales’ big problem is, of course, the alien blood used to bring Coulson back from the dead. I loved Coulson’s response: “I didn’t ask for that, but I’ve come to appreciate the gesture.” So have we! Gonzales is going on Weaver’s assessment that Coulson is now some messenger for an alien race and tells Coulson they are also worried about his protégé – Skye. Coulson insists that he went to Puerto Rico to destroy the alien city and get Whitehall – and he did both those things. Again, proving that he deserves to be the Director. It’s only because HYDRA has been disrupted that Gonzales can cause this internal split in S.H.I.E.L.D.
Gonzales insists that Coulson was created by Fury not merely appointed. He also insists that it was secrets that brought S.H.I.E.L.D. down while Coulson insists it was HYDRA. Gonzales gives the toolbox to a guard to give to Weaver to have her and Fitz-Simmons (I loved that he used their “unit” name!) figure out how to open it. Coulson tells him they won’t help him, but Gonzales says that they are S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and he’ll let them make their own decision. And of course, May shows up at that moment to shoot everyone and say she’s made her choice! Coulson compliments her on her “really nice entrance”! May insists Coulson take a go-bag and get out because without him there is no S.H.I.E.L.D. She stays behind to look after Fitz and Simmons – and presumably everyone else who will remain loyal to Coulson.
Skye meanwhile is investigating her surroundings. She pries off part of the wooden wall to find a gigantic hulk fist impression in the underlying protective wall – the same they have on the bus in the interrogation room. We learn later that the retreat is “the house that Banner built” confirming who the fist belonged to. Skye gets a visit from Gordon (Jamie Harris). He certainly seems like a good guy. He tells her he’s come to help her. He can’t imagine what her transformation was like with no preparation and no support afterwards. He tells her that his mentor embraced him after the change and asks what the first thing that S.H.I.E.L.D. did to her was. We know it was to lock her up. He tells her that what happens inside can be just as profound and that the mist changes everyone differently.
Gordon is able to help explain her gift to her. He tells her that every object in this universe gives off a vibration and she has the ability to tap into those vibrations. He tells her that she could become magnificent. He asks about the gloves and whether they are really to protect her or others from her. He also tells her that every gift comes with a price, but she can learn how to manage it. He suggest that the retreat is not the best place for them to talk. He wants her to come with him so that she can become who she was always meant to be. He doesn’t force her but tells her he’s find her when she’s ready – and then he teleports out. Is it the gloves then that help Skye bend the water after Gordon leaves or is it Gordon’s explanation of her gift? Which sounds an awful lot like the force from
Star Wars…
May is able to call Skye to warn her when Calderon and his team are on their way. Bobbi insists on coming to try to protect Skye. She tells the other agents that Skye is an agent like they are and that they are only to use icers. Calderon, however, has a real gun. I loved Skye demonstrating the skills May taught her, taking out all the other agents. But when Calderon tries to shoot her, she fights back the only way she can with her powers. This is a pretty spectacular effect and she explodes a tree and pushes Bobbi and Calderon back. Unfortunately, Calderon is impaled with a piece of the tree – which will go to prove that she’s dangerous. If they say she didn’t do it on purpose, they’ll read that as she’s also out of control. Unfortunately, he seems merely injured so he can fight against Skye. For her own part, Skye is horrified and afraid and whispers for Gordon who immediately show up and whisks her away.
In the final scene – which I loved – we see Coulson incongruously sipping a heavily umbrellaed drink at a beach bar. Ironically, the bartender asks him if the ex got the house – and he kind of did! Hunter shows up, and he’s very clearly ready to go to work. He signs a napkin as his contract for the permanent position that Coulson offered him. I can’t wait to see what these two cook up to take back S.H.I.E.L.D.!
I liked the play on the title. We see doors close in the past – Bobbi and company choosing a new way for S.H.I.E.L.D. – and we see a door open for Skye with Gordon. What did you think of the episode? Do you like this internal split over ideology or does it feel too reminiscent of last year’s splintering of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra? Were you happy to see Lucy Lawless again? I was disappointed it was only in flashback, I’d been holding out some hope that they’d manage to resurrect her somehow… Do you think this is the beginning of Fitz-Simmons back together? Will Fitz really be able to forgive Mack? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
